Filing apparatus for letters papers, and the like



Jan. 3, 1928.

' W. E. BAKER FILING APPARATUS FOR LETTERS, PAPERS, AND THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1927 :s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN Jan. 3, 1928.

W. E. BAKER FILING APPARATUS FOR LETTERS, PAPERS, AND THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FILING APPARATUS FOR LETTERS, PAPERS, AND THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1927 Fig.6.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 8.

. //v vE/v 70/? ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 3, 192 8.

I UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE;

WILLIAM EXCELL BAKER, OF BRIGHTON, ENGLAND.

FILING APPARATUS FOR LETTERS. PAPERS, ",AND. LIKE.

Application filed March 25, 1927, SerialNo. 178,442, and in Great Britain November 10, 1925.

for letters, papers and the like, of thetype comprising, a plurality of boxes or trays carried by a rotatable table or frame, and it has for its object to render the'process of filing easier by increasing the accessibility to the filed documents. A further object is to reduce. the space occupied relative to the user when the apparatus is not in use. I

I attain these ends by the construction shownv in the accompanying drawings in, which Figures 1, 2 and 3 are views in side,

' roller 9 which engages a curvedor cam path '10 carried by the frame 1, said curved or cam elevation, front elevation and plan respectively showing one form of the apparatus-'- having two stacks of boxesin which the filing boxes are mounted in the rotatable frame in the best angular position for use. Figures 1 and 5 areviews in elevation and plan on a reduced scale showing a cover or casing embodied with the apparatus. Figures 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views in side elevation-and plan showing an apparatus with three stacks of boxes. Figure 8 is a View in plan showing an alternative'method of arranging three stacks of boxes on the rotatable frame, and Figure 9 is a view in front elevation showing a construction in which the boxes are mounted on the rotatable frame with their open sides facing upwards and in which mechanism is embodied for automatically tilting the boxes as they are brought into their in-use position.

Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like numerals of reference.

On a vertically arranged pillar 1 which is supported by a suitably shaped base 2 ismounted a rotatable frame 3 which carries stacks of filing boxes 4 which are arranged in a group which is eccentric to the axisof the pivot of said frame, i. e. the'front face of each and every box is further distant from the axis about which the frame rotates than the distance between the blank side or sides of the part or parts of said rotatable frame which has no box or boxes, and said'axis.

The boxes may either be angularly arranged in said frame so that their open sides face outwards and upwards as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, or they may be arranged so that their open sides face upwards as shown in Figure 9 and they are so mounted that they can be tilted or be caused to tilt as they come into their in-use positions-in order to bring their open faces forward. The boxes may be tilted either by hand in which case any suitable snap connection between each boxand the frame is provided to keep them in their angular positions,or they may be caused to tilt automatically on the rotation of the frame by mechanism such as that shown inFigure 9. a In such an arrangement each. box is pivoted at its bottom front corner to the frame 1 by a-pivot 5and' at a point between said point of pivot and the back side of the box a link 6 is pivoted, The otherend 1 of this link is coupled to anarm 7 which is pivoted to the frame 1. at 8 andcarries a path being so shaped that it will impart the desired tilting movement to the box as and when it comesinto its in-use, position. v

The boxes which may be either secured to said frame or be made detachable therefrom may either have their open sides uncovered as shown inFi-gures 6, 7 and '9, or be provided'with lids,11 as shownin Figures 1, 2' and 3 in which case the lids are preferably of semi-circular form and are adapted tobe automatically opened and closed by the rotation'of the frame'by mechanism such as that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3which comprises a pair of bell-crank levers which are pivoted to the boxes at 12. To one arm 13 of said lever the lid is attached and the other arm 14 of'said lever is connected by a link 15 with an arm 16 which is hinged to the frame 1 by the pivot 17 and carries a roller 18 which engages a shaped or cam path 19 carried by the frame 1 and suitably shaped to impart the desired mot-ion to the link-work to open the lids as they. approach their in-use posi, tion and to close same Whenthey approach their out-of-use position.

In the preferred construction two sets of link-work are employed for each box as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the two arms 16 being mounted on a shaft carried in bearings in the frame 1 which constitutes the pivot 17. In this construction only one of each pair of arms 16 carries a roller 18. By forming depressions 20 in the cam path 19 and 10 respectively atthe positions the rollers 18 and 9 respectively occupy when the boxes are in their in-use and out-of-use positions automatic means is provided for holding the frame in position to secure the boxes in said positions, and also for locking the lids in their open positions when the boxes are in their in-use positions.

It will be understood that the form and construction of the base 2"will depend on whether the apparatus is intended for table or floor use.

When the boxes are not provided with lids the rotatable frame may be arranged within a casing 21 having an'opening 22 at one part through which each stack of boxes can project.

' Any number of stacks of boxes can be employed so long as they are so arranged as to leave one blank or clear side-of the rotatable frame. As an example three groups or stacks? may be arranged as shown in Figures 6 or I wish it to be clearly understood that it is within the spirit and scope of my invention to use only a single filing box, or a plurality of filing boxes in a single stack, or a group comprising a plurality of single boxes or stacks of boxes.

When stacks of boxes areemployed those in each tier. may be arranged to be rotated about the common pivot independently of the others, in which case if it is desired to use the automatic device foropening and closing the lids or for tilting the boxes independent operating mechanisms rmist be provided for each tier.

1. An apparatus for filing letters and the like, comprising a stand, a frame pivoted to turn on the stand, file boxes mounted on the frame, and means including links and levers operable upon the turning of the frame on the stand for presenting the top sides of the ,file boxes facing an'operator sothat access may be easily gained to the interior of the filing boxes.

2. An apparatus for filing letters and the like comprising a stand, a frame pivoted on the stand, fileboxes pivotally mounted on the frame, and coacting means between the file boxes and the stand for tilting the boxes out of a normal position when the frame is turned on the stand. I 1

2-3. An apparatus for filing letters and the like, comprising a stand, a frame pivoted to turn on said stand, file boxes pivot-ally mounted on said frame, a rail mounted on the stand and having an irregular portion, link mechanism mounted on the frame and engaging the rail and connected-to said boxes for tilting the latter out of a normal position when the frame is turned onthe stand.

4. An apparatus for filing letters and the like, comprising a stand, a frame pivoted'to turn on the stand, file boxes pivotally mounted on the frame and normally resting with their tops facing upwardly, a circular ram track mounted or. the stand and having a depressed portion, and link mechanism on the frame connected. to the file boxes and having; a roller normally resting in the deiil't-ESOthPOItlOIl to maintain the file boxes in their normal position of rest, said roller adapted to traverse the track upon the -turn iug of the frame on the stand for operating the link mechanism and tilting the fileboxes to adn'iit easy access to theinterior of the same. I

WILLIAM EXCELL BAKER. 

